Single Line Tethered Glider

9/9/2013 Project Definition Review P14462

Kyle BallMatthew DouglasWilliam Charlock

Single Line Tethered Glider

Jon ErbeldingPaul Grossi

Sajid Subhani


• Team introduction• Problem definition

• Private and academic development• Customer needs

• Engineering requirements

• Timeline moving forward

Agenda


Team IntroductionTeam Member Role

Sajid Subhani Industrial Eng / Team Lead

Kyle Ball Mech Eng

Matthew Douglas

Mech Eng

William Charlock

Mech Eng

Jon Erbelding Mech Eng

Paul Grossi Mech Eng

MSD Staff Role

Ed Hanzlik Team Guide

Art North Team Guide

Mario Gomes Customer


• Goal: Design, build, and test a tethered, small-scale, human-controlled glider.

• Critical project objectives• Maintain maximum tension on the tether• Sustaining horizontal and vertical flight paths• Measure/record tether tension & position• Understand the influential parameters for

sustained, tethered, unpowered flight

Problem Definition

Base Station

Glider

Tether

Operator w/controller


• Ampyx Power• Tethered Glider• Ground power generation• Figure-8 pattern• Capable of generating 850kW

Private Development


• Makani Power• Tethered Glider• Airborne wind turbines• Circular pattern• Tested 30kW; Goal of 600kW

Private Development


• Loyd• 1980 Paper outlining how to harness high altitude wind

energy• 3 Different Methods

• Simple Kite• Crosswind Powered Kite• Drag Powered Kite

• Uses turbines on kite rather than a ground based generator

Academic Papers


Academic Papers

Three axis load cell system created by Lansdorp et al.Image taken from [Lansdorp 2007].

Lansdorp

• Two Different Arrays of Kites• Pumping Mill• Laddermill

• Created a system to measure the tension magnitude and direction using 3D load cell assembly• Basis for our system


Donnelly

• Fighter Kites• Theoretical model to predict motion of

fighter kite• Created a method to control the fighter

kite motion• Created an experimental rig with

generator and variable tether length similar to Lansdorp’s.

Academic Papers

Three axis load cell allowing for variable tether length created by Chris Donnelley. Image taken from [Donnelly 2013].


Customer NeedsCN #

Importance

Description

CN1 1 Tethered glider system (with electric prop assist for launching) that demonstrates at least 3 minutes of continuous circular flight path with taunt tether.

CN2 1 Human controlled plane

CN3 1 No special flight skills required

CN4 2 Laptop not required for data collection

CN5 1 Tether tension is measured and recorded during flights

CN6 1 Tether direction is measured and recorded during flights

CN7 1 Videos with accompanying data files of all flight tests

CN8 1 Robust plane design

CN9 1 Maximize tether tension

CN10 2 Vertical and horizontal flight

CN11 1 Obtain data that can be compared to Matlab simulation

CN12 2 Reasonable plane size


Engineering RequirementsMetric

No.Metric Marginal Value Ideal Value Units

1 Wingspan <=1.5 <1 m

2 Weight <=6 <=4 lbs

3 System Cost <500 $

4 Length of Looping Flight >2 >=3 min

5 Resolution of Tension Data <=0.1 <=0.01 N

6 Resolution of Angular Position Data <=0.5 <=0.1 deg

7 Typical Repair Time 5 3 min

8 Data Sampling Rate >=100 >=500 Hz

9 Minimal Operational Wind Speed at Ground Level

10 5 mph

10 Maximum Operational Wind Speed at Ground Level

20 40 mph

11 Safe for User and Observer Yes Yes Binary

12 Number of Looping Trials Demonstrated >=25 >=30 Integer

13 Training Time (1st Time) <30 <20 min

14 Number of Left Right Horizontal Trials >=25 >=30 Integer


House of QualityEngineering Metrics Customer Perception

Customer Requirements Cus

tom

er W

eigh

ts

Win

gspa

n

Wei

ght

Sys

tem

Cos

t

Len

gth

of L

oopi

ng F

light

Res

olut

ion

of T

ensi

on D

ata

Res

olut

ion

of A

ngul

ar P

ositi

on D

ata

Typ

ical

Rep

air T

ime

Dat

a S

ampl

ing

Rat

e

Min

imal

Ope

ratio

nal W

ind

Spe

ed a

t Gro

und

Leve

l M

axim

um O

pera

tiona

l Win

d S

peed

at

Gro

und

Leve

l S

afe

for U

ser a

nd O

bser

ver

Num

ber o

f Loo

ping

Tria

ls D

emon

stra

ted

Tra

inin

g Ti

me

(1st

Tim

e)

Num

ber o

f Lef

t Rig

ht H

oriz

onta

l Tria

ls

1 Tethered glider system (with electric prop assist for launching) 1 x x2 Human controlled plane 1 x x3 No special flight skills required 1 x4 Laptop not required for data collection 2 x x x5 Tether tension is measured and recorded during flights 1 x x6 Tether direction is measured and recorded during flights 1 x x7 Videos with accompanying data files of all flight tests (even 1 x x8 Robust plane design 1 x x x x9 Maximize tether tension 1 x

10 Verticle and horizontal flight 2 x x11 Obtain data that can be compared with Matlab simulation 1 x x x12 Reasonable plane size 2 x x x x

Technical Targets (Specifications)

<=1.

5 (m

)

<=6

(lbs)

<500

($)

>=2

(min

)

<=0.

1 (N

)

<=0.

5 (d

eg)

5 (m

in)

>=10

0 (H

z)

10 (m

ph)

20 (m

ph)

Yes

(bin

ary)

>=25

(int

eger

)

<30

(min

)

>=25

(int

eger

)


• Phase 1 (wk 1-3) - COMPLETE!• Define/understand problem definition• Research similar projects• Organize as a team

• Phase 2 (wk 4-6) - In progress• Learn to fly• Research production load cells & gliders• Identify/understand critical engineering theory

Timeline


• Phase 3 (wk 7-9)• Determine glider design• If building glider from scratch

• Identify airfoil types, materials, control/communication features

• Develop theoretical simulation of flight

• Phase 4 (wk 10-13)• Refine glider design• Refine theoretical simulations

• Phase 5 (wk 14-15)• Order materials

Timeline


Using Asana


• Team introduction

• Problem definition

• Private and academic development

• Customer needs

• Engineering requirements

• Timeline moving forward

Summary


• Ampyx Power. http://www.ampyxpower.com/

• Makani Power. http://www.makanipower.com/home/

• Loyd, Miles L. “Crosswind Kite Power.” Journal of Energy 4.3 (1980): 106–111. Print.

• Lansdorp, Bas. “Comparison of Concepts for High-altitude Wind Energy Generation with Ground Based Generator.” Proceedings

of the NRE 2005 Conference,Beijing, (2005): 1–9. Web. 17 Feb. 2011.

• Donnelly, Christopher. “Dynamics and control of a single-line maneuverable kite.” Rochester Institute of Technology. (2013).

References


Questions?

Documents

Single Line Tethered Glider